Automatic mail-box signal



I 8, M. FANDERS AUTOMATIC MAIL BOX SIGNAL Filed Dec. 1923 MA I? ran FA/YDER5 INVENTQR.

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Patented Dec. 8, 1925.

onirso stares 'MARTEN FANDEBS, OF DILLER, NEBRASKA.

AUTOMATIC MAIL-BOX SIGNAL.

Application filed December 26, 192-3. Serial No. 682,816.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it lrnown that T, MARTEN FANDERS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Diller, in the county of Jefferson and State of Nebraska, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Mail- Box Signals, of which the following is a specification. 7

My invention relates to new and useful improvements and signals and more particularly to that class of signals which are adapted to be used in connection with rural mail boxes, and my object is to provide means whereby the signal will be automatically operated when the mail is placed in the box.

A further object of my invention is the provision of a signal device which can be made and sold independently of the mail box, and which can be applied to mailboxes of any or all types now in use.

Having in view these and other objects, I will now refer to the drawings, in which,

Figure 1 is aview in perspective of a mail box with my signal applied unto.

Figure 2 is a view in perspective of a portion of a mail box of a different type and showing a slight modification for adapting my signal to this type of mail box.

Figure 3 is a view of the actuating rod which I use in my signal device.

Figure 4 is a view in perspective of the support which is secured to the mail box and which carries the actuating mechanism.

The signal in my drawings is designated by the numeral 10. This signal may be in the form of a disc as shown or in any other preferred form, it being my intention to utilize the signal for advertising as well as for signal purposes.

The mechanism for actuating the signal 10 consists of threemain parts: The support 11, the actuating rod 12, and the spring 13. The support 11 as shown in Figure 4: con sists of a back portion 14 which is bent at three of its edges to form right angled projections extending laterally therefrom. The fourth edge of the back portion is bent in a reverse direction to form a lip 15' for engaging the mailbox at the edge of the mail box opening. The'portion '14 is also provided with apertures 16 whereby the device may be secured in position to the side of the mail box. A similar opening 17 is provided to facilitate temporary attachment of the device to a mail box for demonstration or similar purposes.

Earsv 18 extend beyond the ends ofthe portions which project from the twosides of the base portion and the cars 18 are provided with apertures 19 for the reception of the actuating rod 12. The rod 12 is bent into the form shown in Figure 3, the two extremities being in alignment. The portions 20 and 21 of the actuating rod 12 are substantially perpendicular to the main portions of the rod but they do not lie in a common plane. The portions 22 and 23 are substantially parallel to the main. portions of the rod 12. In assembling the device the main portions of the rod 12 are passed through the apertures 19 so that the rod will have pivotal relation with the support 11. The helical spring 13 is then secured at one of its ends to the portion 23 of the rod 12, the other end of the spring being attached to the support 11 at any convenient point. 7

The signal 10 is held under the tension of the spring 13 in both its signal and nonsignal positions, since movement from either position to the other forces the parts across the dead center. Thus when the parts are in the position shown in Figure 1 a slight opening movement of the mail box door will place the parts in their dead center relation, this movement being made against the tension of the spring. Further movementof the mail box door and of the part 22 of the actuating rod throws the parts across the dead center and the spring will then continue and finish the movement of the rod 12 and the signal 10. The parts must then be restored manually to their nonsignal position.

The device shown in Figure 2 is identical with that shown in Figure. 1, but in attaching 'it to a mail box of the type shown in Figure 2'it'is necessar to bend the rod 12 as shown. This bending positions the signal 10 vertically so that'it is visible at a distance. p

The signal 10 is adjustable on the rod 12 so that it may be made visible from the house or other convenient place. The two sides of the signal 10 may be painted in different colors and the signal may be so adjusted that either of these sides may be the signal side and the other the nonsignal side. If desirable one of the faces of the signal 10 may be directed toward the house to represent either the signal position or the nonsignal position while the edge of the signal 10 i'vould represent the other position.

In some cases it may be desirable to vary the arcuate movement of the signal 10 so that signal can be put to the use which is most convenient to the owner. In order to adjust the parts for different arcuate movements of the signal I have modified the upper one of the ears 19 so that it may be made to serve as a stop for limiting the movement of the signal to ahalf revolution. As the device is shown in Figure 1 there is no stop which limits the pivotal movement except that of the door of the mail box and of the base of the support. The part 22 of the rod 12 therefore has an arcuate movement of threeouarters of a revolution. In other words, if the face of the signal 10 is presented in one of its positions the edge would be presented in the other position. Bv turning the upper ear 19 downwardlv into the path of the arcuate movement of the part 20 of the rod. the movement of the rod will then be limited to one-half of a revolution so that the opposite faces of the signal 10 will be the signal and uonsignal positions respectively.

In attaching my signal device to a mail box, the door of the mail box is first opened, the si nal device is then placed in the desired position with its lip 15 engaging the edge of the door opening. holes are punched in the side of the mail box to register with the apertures 16. and the attachment is then com leted by the use of stove bolts or the like in the registering apertures. The only alteration made in the mail box is the punching of the two holes, and the entire operation reouires only a few minutes time, no special tools or skill being reeuired. It is somet mes desirable to make the attachment temporary and without the punch ng of holes in the mail box, as for example when demonstratin the signal to aprospective purchaser. This can be done in an instant by the use of clips in connection with the signal device through the apertures 16 and 17. When thus attached, the device can be as instantly removed from the mail box after the demon- Stration without in any way marring the mail box. It is only necessarv for the demonstrator to provide himself with a number of clips which are adapted for use in connection with mail boxes of the various types. A clip for demonstrating the device can however be improvised out of baling wire or other material usually found on the farm.

My signal device can be applied to any mail box of any type now in use, the only alteration required being the bending in some cases of the signal actuating rod in order to bring the signal into proper vertical position. The signal is adjustable on the actuating rod, both vertically and angularly', so that no matter at what angle the mail box is positioned with respect to the house, the signal can be made visible and conspicuous from the house. The operation is entirely automatic. In its nonsignal position the spring holds the parts in position against the mail box door as an abutment, and in opening thedoor of the mail box the spring instantly carries the signal into signal position and holds it in that position. The upper ear 18 may either be left straight or it may be turned downas desired by the user. When left straight, the alternative views of the signal are the face and edge views but if the ear is turned down the opposite faces of the signal will alternate.

It is evident that various changes, variations, and modifications might be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of mv invention and hence I do not wish to limit myself to the exact disclosures thereof.

Having thus described my invention in terms which will be readily understood by others skilled in the art to which it pertains, what I believe to be new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is z 1. A signal device which is adapted to be attached to a mail box, said device including a signal, signal arm. an actuating spring and a support therefor, said support having an overhanging lip for engaging the ede'e of the door opening of the mail box and being also provided with a plurality of apertures whereby the device may be permanently attached to a mail box, said overhanging lip being adapted to serve as a temporary securing means for the signal device, an actuating rod pivotally connected with said support and carrying a signal device, a lateral projection on said actuating rod. said lateral projection being adapted to abut against said support and against the door of the mail box in its two extreme positions of pivotal movement. and a. tension spring secured at its ends to the support and to the lateral projection in such relation that the parts must move across the dead center position when the actuating rod moves from either of its extreme positions to the other.

2. A'signal device for rural mail boxes comprising a support which is adapted to be secured to the mail box, said support having an upper and a lower projecting ear each of which is provided with an aperture, an actuating rod pivoted to both of said ears in the apertures thereof. said actuating rod having a laterally projecting portion between said ears, a tension spring connecting the laterally projecting portion of said actuating rod to said support, and anadjustable signal element carried by said actuating red at its upper extremity, the upper of the laterally projecting ears being bendablevinto the path of the lateral projection on said actuating rod, the door of the mail box normally serving as the abutment for the lateral projection of the actuating rod when the signal is in its nonsignal position, the arrangement being such that when the upper ear is bent downwardly, the bent-down portion of the upper ear will serve as an abutment to limit the pivotal movement of the actuating rod to half of a revolution and when the ear is not bent down the support will serve as an abutment to limit the pivotal movement to three-quarters of a revolution.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signa- 20 ture. 

